


don't be a stranger again

by witchy_country616



Category: From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Post-Series, Season/Series 03 Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-06
Updated: 2016-09-06
Packaged: 2018-08-13 12:04:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7976182
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/witchy_country616/pseuds/witchy_country616
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tumblr prompt: Richie and Santanico + <i>exes meeting again after not speaking for years au</i>.</p>
            </blockquote>





	don't be a stranger again

**Author's Note:**

> Set in an undefined future post-series. Some spoilers from the new season, but nothing major. Also, very clearly unbeta'ed. I apologize for any mistakes.

It was after three in the morning and he should really be going to bed. But there was a marathon of old Ed Wood movies on tv and without Seth around to annoy him, he had completely forgotten about time and was now watching the opening credits of the third movie of the night, Wood’s masterpiece of bad films, _Plan 9 From Outer Space_. Of course, the night had been too quiet and he knew something was up when he heard the distinct sound of the doorbell forcing him to get up from the couch. Seth had his own keys, plus a hot date tonight, so it couldn’t be him. Still, nothing would have prepared for the sight of her when he opened the door. How long had it been since he had last seen her? Five since they defeated Amaru, three since that awkward meeting in the ruins of the Titty Twister, two since she had last called _Seth_ to say she was heading to Arizona chasing some demon.

“Well, well, if it isn’t…” He stopped in the middle of his over-practiced line about _“look who is back”_ when he noticed that instead of paying attention to him, Santanico was busy holding on to her stomach and there was already some blood dripping on the floor.

“Can we talk later?” She said through heavy breaths. “I need some help.”

“C’mon.” He grabbed one of her arms, supporting her weight, and helped her lie down on the couch in the living room.

“This is better.” She said, quickly taking out her stained blouse and examining the gash on her stomach. Richard tried not to focus on her breasts and focus on the problem at hand.

“Why aren’t you healing?”

“Poisonous blade. Courtesy of Amaru and the demons she released before we kicked her ass back to hell. You have to take the venom out before the healing process can start.”

“Great. Just what I needed tonight.” He said sarcastically. “I’ll go get something to clean the area and maybe a straw to take the venom out.”

Santanico sighed upset as soon as he left the room. She knew she had been MIA for some time, but she didn’t think he would be mad at seeing her again.

Richie left with some medical supplies and started cleaning her wound without saying another word. “Luck for you, there’s a lot of blood, but the wound is not deep. How are you feeling?”

“Cold.” She said honestly as she watched Richie take the straw and put it on top of the gash, trying to get the venom out without success. “That doesn’t seem to be working.”

“I guess we’ll have to do it the old-fashioned way” were his next words and the next second she could feel his mouth and fangs on her stomach, tearing another gash on top of her wound and drawing the poison out onto his own mouth. He repeated the process three times, for her utter fascination, each time spitting her poisoned blood on a bowl afterwards.

“I think this is the last of it.” He said as he and Santanico watched her skin slowly peel itself back together as if it had never been hurt. “Are you feeling any better?”

“I will be fine, just need some rest. Thank you, Richard.”

“You’re still pale. And your skin is freezing.” He paused for a second, and then, added, “C’mon, drink it.”

“What?”

“You lost a lot of blood and you need to feed.” He answered, presenting her with his neck. “It’s either me or going outside to find some rats. _And_ we’re in a nice neighborhood.”

“Fine.” She agreed reluctantly. “Come closer.” She hadn’t drank from Richard in almost six years, and the perspective of tasting his blood again, sitting on his living room couch wearing only pants and her bra, filled her with apprehension and excitement.

“Make it quick.” He said, sitting in front of her and looking unaffected by the whole thing. She rolled her eyes at him, the way that said “I’ll do it as I damn well please” and the next second her fangs were in his neck. She could smell his perfume, the same one he wore since they had met, and taste the blood running on her mouth, the guy he had had for dinner (some criminal he found in an alley trying to attack a woman), the typical metallic taste of blood and something else that was unique to Richard. It was like having a part of him on her again, a part she had missed.

“That’s enough.” He stopped her after a few mouthfuls, quickly turning away. “I’m gonna get you some clothes and you can sleep here if you would like.” And faster than she could blink, he was out of her sight, rummaging through some drawers in another room, while she thought about what the hell had just happened.  

“Here you go. It’ll be big on you, but it’s all I have.” He threw her away a cotton shirt and pajama pants, bringing her back to the present.

“Thanks.” She said, putting the shirt on but not bothering with the pants.

“Wanna tell me know how the hell did you track me down?” He asked as soon as she composed herself, seeming still upset.

Santanico sighed before explaining. “I sensed you.”

He seemed puzzled for a moment. “Like you did before? You can still do that?”

“You thought it stopped just because we were apart?”

He didn’t answer her. “So, what, you just got into my head, saw where I am living and decided to pay old Richard a visit?”

“It’s not like that. I don’t get inside your head unless it’s important. And the moment I got into town I knew you’re around, I could sense you were near. When that demon hurt me, there was no one else around I trusted.”

It was his turn to sigh. “So you came here because I was your last option?” His voice was much quieter, and before she could say it wasn’t _like that_ , he continued. “I asked you to not be a stranger. Twice.” She could hear the hurt in his voice at her decision to keep him away.

“I needed time for myself.” She answered, but she knows this is not what Richard is asking. She didn’t want to be tempted by him again, to give him and their relationship another try and fail, so she kept that temptation of Richard as far from her as she could. It was not something she was proud of, but it was something she needed to do while she searched for herself. And even coming him today had shown her how affected she was by him and how she still missed having him in her life.

He didn’t try to argue with her reasons. “Just let me know you’re okay from time to time, alright? Send me a vision or something.” He asked with a chuckle, his voice calm and forgiving like he didn’t want to scare her away again.

“I will.” Santanico promised him, her own voice barely above a whisper. Not wanting to prolong that moment when she felt so vulnerable, she brusquely turned away from him and to the tv that Richie had forgotten to turn off when she arrived. “Oh, what’s on?” She asked in a not very subtle change of subject.

“Ed Wood marathon, he is the director of…”

“ _Bride of the Monster_ and _Glen or Glenda._ ” She completed, citing the two movies directed by him that they had watched together a long time ago, and appreciating as Richie looked at her with surprise all over his face.

“That is right. I didn’t think you would remember.”

“Do you want to keep watching? You’re watching it before I arrived, after all…”

“It’s fine, I should probably go to bed.” He said, moving to get up from the couch.

“If you want to. I’m not sleepy, so you can stay here, if you want.” She didn’t know why, but she wasn’t ready to let him go yet.

“You don’t mind?”

She silently shook her head no, but seeing that Richie didn’t look any more inclined to stay, she added before she lost her courage, “Really. I have discovered a new appreciation for B-horror movies, did you know?”

He gave her a smile. “We should really watch this one, then.”

The end.

**Author's Note:**

> Tell me what you think, comments and kudos make my day ;)


End file.
